Current Affairs 25, 26 & 27 January 2026

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs January 25, 26 & 27 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

Our Current Affairs January 2026 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2026 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Dear Aspirants,
With effect from 26 January 2026, the Exam Hint and In-Depth Content of articles (news) will be available exclusively in our Daily PDF (DailyScoop PDF).
To access the DailyScoop PDF, please subscribe to the Crack Current Course on the CareersCloud app or website.

Read Current Affairs in CareersCloud APP, Course Name – Learn Current Affairs – Free Course –Click Here to Download the APP

We are Hiring – Subject Matter Expert – English | CA Video Creator | Content Developers(Pondicherry)

Click here for Current Affairs 24 January 2026

Click here for Affairscloud Hindu Free Vocabs telegram channel

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign Completed 11 YearsOn January 22 2026, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, a flagship initiative of Government of India (GoI) which aims to protect, educate, and empower the girl child in India, completed 11 years of successful implementation.
About Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme:
Launch: The scheme was originally launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on January 22, 2015 in Panipat, Haryana.
Nature of Scheme: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) which means 100% funding by the Central Government in all districts of the country under Sambal vertical of ‘Mission Shakti’.
Aim: To address the decreasing Child Sex Ratio (CSR), prevent gender -biased sex-selective elimination and promote the survival, protection and education of the girl child.
Key Ministries Involved: Originally, the scheme was a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Ministry of Education (MoE).

• Later, MoWCD collaborated with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) to expand the scope of BBBP.

Key Progress Made under BBBP Scheme:
Improvement in SRB: As per GoI’s data, due to the efforts made under BBBP scheme, the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) has increased from around 918 (in 2014-15) to 930 (in 2023-24) at the national level.
Increase in GER for Girls: Also, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for girls at the secondary level (Class 9-10) in India has witnessed significant improvement, increasing from 75.51% (in 2014-15) to 78.0% (in 2023-24).

• In addition to that, as per the UDISE report, the GER of girls at secondary level has increased to 80.2% (in 2024-25).

Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Kerala on January 23, 2026On January 23, 2026, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi visited Kerala to lay foundation stones, inaugurate and flag off multiple development projects in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Kerala:
Rail Connectivity: He flagged off four new trains from Thiruvananthapuram, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains in routes such as 705-kilometre (km) Nagercoil (Tamil Nadu, TN) – Mangaluru (Karnataka), 768-km Thiruvananthapuram- Tambaram (TN), and 1,488-km Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli, and one passenger train from Thrissur-Guruvayur (Kerala) of 23 km.
PM SVANidhi Credit Card: During the visit, PM Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Credit Card, a Unified Payment Interface (UPI)-linked, interest free revolving credit facility tailored to provide easier and quicker access to finances for street vendors, Hawkers, and others in the urban informal sector.

• He also disbursed PM SVANidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries, marking a significant expansion in financial inclusion.

CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship Hub: PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for an innovation and entrepreneurship hub at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) in Thiruvananthapuram.
Radiosurgery Centre at SCTIMST: He also laid foundation stone for a modern Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), in Thiruvananthapuram.
Head Post Office: During the visit to Kerala, he inaugurated the new, modern Poojappura Head Post Office, which will offer a wide range of citizen services, including postal services, banking, insurance, and digital services.

ECI Hosts India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management 2026 in New DelhiThe Election Commission of India (ECI) hosted the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM 2026)at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (Delhi) from 21-23 January 2026.

• The three-day international conference was organised by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) under the aegis of the ECI.

IICDEM 2026 Overview:
Theme: “Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable world”
Inaugural Reception: The conference began with a formal reception, where Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) along with Election Commissioners(EC) Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, welcomed international delegates representing heads of election management bodies worldwide.
Launch of ECINET: The ECI launched the ECINET (Election Commission of India Network) at the IICDEM 2026.

• ECINET provides voter registration, Know Your Candidate (KYC), e-Voter Identification(ID) cards (e-EPIC) download, and Book-a-Call facilities with Booth Level Officers (BLOs), while also offering services for Divyang (Saksham) citizens and access to election-related learning material.
• It has been developed in English along with all 22 scheduled languages of India.

MoU Signed: India and Namibia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on election management on the sidelines of IICDEM 2026.
Adoption: On 23 January 2026, the ECI concluded the three-day IICDEM 2026 with the unanimous adoption of the ‘Delhi Declaration 2026’.

•  The election management bodies (EMBs) agreed to collaborate on the five pillars of the declaration: purity of electoral rolls, conduct of elections, research and publications, use of technology, and training and capacity building.

About India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM):
Establishment:  The IIIDEM was established in 2011 to train and equip election officials and stakeholders for the conduct of free, fair, credible, and error-free elections.
Location: Initially housed within the premises of the ECI, the Institute is now operating from a full-fledged campus at Dwarka, Delhi.

GoI Selected 5 Companies in 4th Round of PLI Scheme for White GoodsIn January 2026, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I) announced that the Government of India (GoI) selected 5 companies including Kirloskar Pneumatic Indo Asia Copper; and Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing company among others, in the 4th round of the Production Linked Scheme (PLI) scheme for white goods, including Air Conditioner (ACs) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights, with committed investment of Rs 863 crore.

• These companies were provisionally selected following the evaluation of 13 applications received in the 4th round of scheme for white goods.

Key Details:
Expected Outcomes: These selected companies are expected to achieve a total production of Rs 8,337.24 crore and create 1,799 additional direct jobs by Financial Year 2027-28 (FY28).

• So far, a total of 85 companies selected under the PLI scheme for white goods are expected to attract investments worth Rs 11,198 crore, leading to a  combined production of Rs 1,90,050 crore over the scheme period.

Key Investments: Kirloskar Pneumatic (Rs 320 crore); Indo Asia Copper Limited (Rs 258.97 crore); Kyron Technology (Rs 175 crore); Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company (Rs 58.69 crore); and Pranav Vikas (India) Pvt. Ltd. (Rs 50 crore)
Key Components: Under this scheme, the companies will manufacture key components of ACs and LED.

• Like for ACs: compressors, copper tubes (plain and/or grooved), control assemblies, heat exchangers, among others.
• For LEDs: companies will produce components such as: LED chip packaging, LED light management,  metalized films/capacitors, among others.

About Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I):
Union Minister- Piyush Goyal (Constituency- Mumbai North, Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS)- Jitin Prasada (Constituency- Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, UP)

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Chairs 3rd Inland Waterways Development Council Meeting in KochiOn 23 January 2026, the 3rd meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC 3.0) was held in Kochi, Kerala, under the chairmanship of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), to review progress in the inland water transport sector.

• The meeting aimed to outline a future roadmap focused on green mobility, multimodal logistics, and river-led economic development.

About IWDC 3.0
Convergence: IWDC 3.0 consolidates Centre–State coordination, reviews progress since IWDC 1.0 (2024) and 2.0 (2025), and accelerates inland waterways development across cargo, passenger transport, river cruises, green vessels, and digital navigation.
Approvals: Approved projects worth over Rs.1,500 crore and laid foundation stones for over Rs.150 crore projects, including river cruise jetties in Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, and Telangana.
Asset Procurement: Approved Rs.465 crore for procurement of vessels, 20 pontoons, 8 Quick Pontoon Opening Mechanisms (QPOMs), 12 dredgers, 3 tug-barge units, 5 survey vessels and 4 Roll-on/Roll-off Passenger (Ro-Pax) jetties to enhance navigability, safety, and year-round inland waterways operations.
Inland Waterways: India has 111 National Waterways across 23 states and 4 Union Territories (UTs); 32 are operational for cargo and passenger transport, with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under MoPSW, responsible for their development, maintenance, and regulation.
About Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW):
Union Minister – Sarbananda Sonowal (Constituency – Dibrugarh, Assam)
Minister of State (MoS) – Shantanu Thakur (Constituency – Bangaon, West Bengal)

Indian Railways Deploys First Humanoid Robot ‘ASC ARJUN’ at Visakhapatnam Railway Station
In January 2026, Indian Railways (IR) deployed its first humanoid robot, ‘ASC ARJUN’, at Visakhapatnam Railway Station, East Coast Railway (ECoR), Andhra Pradesh (AP), to enhance passenger safety, station security, and operational efficiency, under the supervision of the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

• The deployment was unveiled by Inspector General, Railway Protection Force (IG RPF) Alok Bohra and Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Lalit Bohra in the presence of Senior Divisional Security Commandant (SDSC) A.K. Dubey.

About Indian Railways Humanoid Robot ASC ARJUN:
Development: Supports RPF operations during peak hours and was developed in Visakhapatnam over one year using indigenous technology.
Security: Detects intruders via Face Recognition System (FRS) with real-time Internet of Things (IoT) alerts to Railway Protection Force (RPF) control rooms.
Crowd Management: Uses Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based monitoring, automated announcements, semi-autonomous platform patrolling, and fire & smoke detection to manage passenger density and enhance safety.
Engagement: Delivers automated announcements in English, Hindi, and Telugu, performs friendly gestures and interactive guidance for passengers, and provides real-time situational awareness via an integrated dashboard.
Safety: Conducts semi-autonomous 24×7 platform patrols with obstacle avoidance, detects fire and smoke for instant alerts, and optimizes manpower while enhancing passenger convenience with indigenous technology.

Indian Army Partners with IISc to Develop Indigenous AI Defence System
On 23 January 2026, the Indian Army(IA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru(Karnataka) to jointly develop a fully indigenous Artificial Intelligence (AI) system aimed at addressing emerging challenges in digital information and modern warfare.
Key Details of MoU :
Development: The system will be created through collaborative research, innovation, and field‑oriented testing, ensuring it aligns with the operational requirements of the armed forces.
Collaborative Strength: The partnership combines the IA’s operational experience, IISc’s academic expertise, and Indian industry support to enhance self-reliance in technology development.
Vision: The initiative reinforces the IA’s commitment to a self-reliant India in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

President Droupadi Murmu Inaugurates Cultural & Literary Space ‘Granth Kutir’
In January 2026, President of India (POI) Droupadi Murmu inaugurated “Granth Kutir”, a cultural and literary space, at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, Delhi.

• It houses about 2,300 books and around 50 rare manuscripts, which include handwritten works on traditional materials such as palm leaves, paper, bark and cloth.

About Granth Kutir:
Heritage Preservation: Granth Kutir has been developed to showcase and preserve India’s rich intellectual heritage preserved in classical languages.
Represented Classical Languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, Bengali.
Scope of Collection: It includes epics and devotional literature, philosophy and linguistics, history and governance, science and mathematics, and the Constitution of India.
Alignment: The Granth Kutir aligns with the Gyan Bharatam Mission, a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (GoI).

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of 56th Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum Held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland – Part IThe 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) was held from January 19 to 23, 2026, in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

• The 2026 annual meeting was held under the theme titled “A Spirit of Dialogue”.

Highlights of 56th Annual Meeting of WEF:
Participation: The event witnessed the participation of around 3,000 leaders from 130 countries, 400 top political leaders, 65 heads of state and government, a majority of Group of Seven (G7) leaders, around 830 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chairs, and nearly 80 tech unicorn founders and innovators, marking it one of the largest participations.
Indian Delegation: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Ministry of Railways (MoR), led the Indian delegation.
Highlights of Launched Reports:
WEF Chief Economists’ Outlook: Economic Forecast: WEF released a report titled “ WEF Chief Economists’ Outlook – January 2026”. As per the report, 53% of the Chief Economists expect global economic conditions to weaken in 2026, an improvement against the 72% in September 2025.
AI Adoption Report: During the meeting, WEF launched a report titled “Proof Over Promise: Insights on Real-World AI adoption from 2025 MINDS Organization”, produced in collaboration with Accenture.

• Tech Mahindra Limited has been included in the WEF’s list of organizations recognized for making AI work in the real world as part of the WEF’s MINDS programme.

India Ranks 8th in AI Investment: According to a WEF white paper, India ranked 8th out of 11 countries in AI investments as a share of Gross Domestic Product(GDP)(2010–2024), with investments estimated at 1.2%–1.8% of its 2024 GDP.

• The USA topped the list, followed by Singapore, South Korea and China.

Other Launches:
WEF to Establish Five C4IR: During the meeting, the WEF decided to establish five new centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR).
Board of Peace Signed: During the event, Donal J Trump, President of the USA, signed the founding charter of the Board of Peace initiative, along with representatives of around 19 countries.

USA Officially Withdraws from World Health Organization 
On 22 January 2026, the United States of America (USA) formally withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO), ending its 78-year membership amid criticism of the WHO’s COVID-19 response, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and perceived failures affecting Americans.

• The withdrawal completed a one-year notification process initiated by President Donald J. Trump through Executive Order 14155, signed on January 20, 2025.

About the USA Withdrawal:
Cessation: All USA funding and staffing for the WHO ended on January 22, 2026, including annual dues of USD 111 million and average voluntary contributions of USD 570 million.
Funding Impact: The USA accounts for about 18% of the WHO’s total funding, with the WHO’s 2024–2025 budget estimated at USD 6.8 billion.
Approach: The USA shifted from multilateral engagement to bilateral partnerships, focusing on disease surveillance, preparedness, and preventing health threats from reaching American shores.

BANKING & FINANCE

Buyforex Secures In-Principle PSP Approval at GIFT IFSC
In January 2026, EbixCash World Money, a subsidiary of Eraaya Lifespaces Limited, announced that its wholly owned entity Buyforex received in-principle approval for Payment Service Provider (PSP) authorisation from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City  – International Financial Services Centre (GIFT-IFSC).

• With this approval, Buyforex became the first Authorised Dealer Category-II (AD-II) licensed group entity to achieve this milestone.

About PSP Authorisation :
Permitted Services: The approval allows Buyforex to undertake four regulated payment services: account issuance, e-money issuance, merchant acquisition, and cross-border fund transfers.
Impact: The authorisation allows Buyforex to operate as a regulated PSP under GIFT IFSC, strengthening the EbixCash Group’s payments footprint and supporting India’s vision of GIFT IFSC as a global cross-border payments hub.
Enablement: The authorisation enables delivery of secure, compliant, and scalable payment solutions to international merchants and financial institutions.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

UNCTAD: FDI Inflows to India Jump 73% to USD 47 Billion in 2025In January 2026, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the latest edition of the Global Investment Trends Monitor report. As per the latest report, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to India surged by 73% to USD 47 billion in 2025.

• The report highlighted that this increase in FDI inflows is mainly attributed to large investments in services such as: Information Technology (IT), Research & Development (R&D); and manufacturing, supported by policies aimed at integrating the country into global supply chains.

Key Findings:
Global FDI: The report revealed that global FDI reached USD 1.61 trillion in 2025, marking an increase of 14%  compared to 1.4 trillion recorded in 2024.
Key Driver for Global FDI: The report highlighted that over  USD 140 billion increase in global FDI was mainly driven by global financial centres led by countries like: the United Kingdom (UK), Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Ireland.

• Excluding these ‘conduit flows’, global FDI  would increase by only about 5%.

FDI Share of Different Economies: The large share of global FDI inflows went to developed economies, which saw an increase of 43%, amounting to USD 728 billion, driven by Europe and financial hubs for instance: the European Union (EU) registered 56% increase, supported by large cross-border acquisitions and a rebound  in major economies like: Germany, France and Italy.

• In contrast, the FDI inflows of developing economies decreased by 2% to an estimated USD 877 billion (which accounted for 55% of global flows).
• Three-Quarters of the Least Developed economies witnessed stagnant or declining inflows.

About United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD):
Secretary-General- Rebeca Grynspan
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Established- 1964

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Dr Chandrakant Lahariya Becomes First Indian to Receive Wiley Research Heroes Award
In January 2026, Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, former staff member of the World Health Organisation (WHO), was awarded the Wiley Research Heroes Prize 2025 in the category “Impact Beyond Academia.”

• He is the first and only Indian to receive this prestigious Wiley Research Heroes Prize, chosen as one of five global winners from over 2,000 nominations worldwide.

About Wiley Research Heroes Prize 2025: 
Recognition: Dr Chandrakant Lahariya was selected for his outstanding research contributions that have a direct impact on public policy and societal welfare.
Other winners: The other four winners of the Wiley Research Heroes Prize 2025 include Dr. Katie Brooker from Australia, Professor Trevor Charles from Canada, Professor Deborah Esan from Nigeria, and Dr. Maria Elena Indelicato from Portugal.
Award overview: An international recognition by Wiley honouring researchers whose work is inclusive, innovative, and creates real-world impact beyond traditional academic outputs.
Prize Amount: Five global winners are selected annually, each receiving global recognition and a monetary award of around USD 2,000.

Sikkim Police Conferred with President’s Police Colour Award 2026
In January 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced that the Sikkim Police has been conferred the President’s Police Colour Award (Nishaan), one of India’s highest police honours, for outstanding service, professionalism, and dedication, making Sikkim the 15th state and 3rd in the North East (NE) to receive the award.

• The announcement was made by Director General of Police (DGP) Akshay Sachdeva and Chief Minister (CM) of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang.

About President’s Police Colour:
Components: The award includes a ceremonially decorated flag measuring 3 feet 9 inches × 3 feet with a 2-inch golden fringe and a special insignia worn on the left sleeve by all personnel.
Ceremony: The flag and insignia will be formally presented in Sikkim during a Colour Presentation Parade (Alankaran Parade) led by a Superintendent of Police (SP) or Commandant, following protocols and coordination with the MHA.
Authority: Only the President of India, the Prime Minister (PM), or the Union Minister of MHA can confer the award.
Previous Recipients: Madhya Pradesh (MP) (1950), Uttar Pradesh (1952), Delhi Police (1954), Maharashtra (1961), Punjab (1992), Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) (2003), Tamil Nadu (TN) (2009), Tripura (2011), Assam (2014), Gujarat (2019), Himachal Pradesh (HP) (2019), and Haryana (2022).
Personnel: The award is a collective honour for all approximately 6,500 serving and retired personnel of the Sikkim Police.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Arijit Basu Appointed as Part-time Chairman of IndusInd Bank
In January 2026, Arijit Basu was appointed as Additional Director (Non-Executive Independent Director) and Part-time Chairman of IndusInd Bank for a three-years term, effect from 31 January 2026.

• He succeeds Sunil Mehta, who will step down as Part‑time Chairman and Director on 30 January 2026.

About Arijit Basu:
Profile: He is a veteran Indian banker with decades of experience in the financial services sector.
Previous role: He served as Chairman of HDB Financial Services Ltd, a non‑banking financial subsidiary of HDFC Bank, before resigning to assume his new position at IndusInd Bank.

• He retired as a Board Member and Managing Director(MD) of State Bank of India(SBI) and also served as the MD & CEO of SBI Life Insurance Company Limited.

Current role: He currently serves as an Independent Director(ID) on the boards of Prudential Plc, Peerless Hospitex, Hospital Research Centre Ltd, and CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Ltd.

• He is also a senior advisor to Ares Management Corporation, and a member of the advisory board of Razorpay Inc.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

COAS General Upendra Dwivedi Launches Book ‘Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal’
On 22 January 2026, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi launched the book titled ‘Red Lines Redrawn: Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal’ at the India International Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The book was published by Konark Publishers Private Limited.

About the Book:
Author: The book was co-authored by Major General Bipin Bakshi (Retired), Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar (Retired), Amb Anil Trigunayat (Retired) and Brig Akhelesh Bhargava (Retired).
Overview: The book provides a comprehensive, multi-domain account of ‘Operation Sindoor’, detailing India’s decisive response to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism during the 88-hour campaign launched in May 2025 as a response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack on 22 April 2025.
Strategic Insights: The book underscores the integration of land, air, sea, cyber, and diplomatic domains during Operation Sindoor, showcasing how coordinated planning and joint execution across services can achieve decisive outcomes.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Girl Child Day 2026 – January 24National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is observed annually across India on 24th January to raise awareness about the rights, education, health, safety and empowerment of the girl child and to address challenges such as gender discrimination, child marriage and female foeticide.

• 24th January 2026 marks the observance of 19th NGCD.

Background:
Establishment: NGCD was established in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD).
First Observance: NGCD was observed for the first time on 24 January 2008.
Initiatives and Achievements:
Mission Shakti: Launched in 2022, Mission Shakti is an integrated umbrella scheme (2021–26) of the MoWCD, that advances women’s safety, security, and empowerment through the Sambal and Samarthya sub-schemes, received Rs.3,150 crore in the Union Budget 2025–26.
Samagra Shiksha: It is an integrated school education scheme covering the entire spectrum from pre‑school to Class XII, launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Education(MoE) to treat school education as a continuum.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV): It is a residential school scheme under Samagra Shiksha that provides schooling and hostel facilities for girls aged 10–18 years (Classes VI to XII) from disadvantaged groups.
NAVYA: Launched on June 24, 2025, Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls (NAVYA) is a joint MWCD-Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) initiative training 3,850 girls across 27 districts under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0 in non-traditional sectors to promote independence and challenge gender stereotypes.

International Day of Education 2026 – January 24The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Education (IDE) is annually observed across the globe on 24 January to highlight the importance of education in promoting peace and sustainable development.

• 24 January 2026 marks the 8th observance of the IDE.

2026 Theme:
Theme: “The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education”
Focus: This year’s theme highlights young people as key agents of change, emphasizing their active role in shaping inclusive and equitable quality education systems and in fostering peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.
Background:
UNGA Proclamation: On 3 December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/73/25, declaring 24 January as the International Day of Education.

• The resolution was co-authored by Nigeria along with 58 other UN Member States.

First Observance: The inaugural International Day of Education was observed on 24 January 2019.
International Commitments to the Right to Education:
Global Development Framework:  In September 2015, the world adopted the 2030 Agenda, recognising education as essential to achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDG).

• SDG 4 focused on inclusive, quality education and lifelong learning by 2030.

Right to Education: Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the right to education.
Access to Higher Education: The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child calls on countries to ensure higher education is accessible to all.
2026 Event:
Event: The IDE 2026 global event was held on 23 January 2026 at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Headquarters in Paris, France.
Launches: During the event, UNESCO released a Global Education Monitoring (GEM) 2026 Youth Report “Lead with youth” , assessing student and youth participation in education legislation and policymaking, in collaboration with the UN Youth Office, and introduced a new cohort of the SDG4 Youth & Student Network.
Education in Crisis: Around 250 million children and youth are out of school, and 763 million adults cannot read or write, showing a serious violation of the right to education and the urgent need for education reform.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO):
Director-General (DG)– Khaled El-Enany
Headquarters– Paris, France
Member Nations- 194
Established–1945

*******

Current Affairs Today (AffairsCloud Today)